The Time for Climate Action Is Now
President Barack Obama delivered a crystal clear message to
Congress and the nation last night in his State of the Union address:
the time for climate action is now. By making a strong climate
statement last night and in his inaugural address, the president is
finally demonstrating the leadership this country needs if we are to
make progress.
My favorite part of last night's speech was when President Obama urged
the nation to look to "the overwhelming judgement of science—and act
before it's too late."
This increased momentum for climate action is exciting, but there is a
lot of work to be done! Climate change is a result of too much carbon.
When we burn gasoline to drive our cars or burn coal, oil, or gas to
heat our homes and power our lives, we release carbon dioxide, which is
now overloading our atmosphere.
Last year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft
standards that would, for the first time ever, limit harmful carbon
pollution from new power plants, a critical step to reducing the effects
of global warming and protecting public health. Those historic
standards will soon be finalized. But this is just the
beginning. The EPA is also obligated to draft standards that will limit
carbon pollution from our nation's oldest and dirtiest coal-fired power
plants.
Unfortunately, some members of Congress and their dirty energy allies
will try to block or significantly delay the EPA from limiting carbon
pollution from power plants.
Tell your members of Congress today that they should listen to
the science and support the EPA's efforts to protect our communities and
our planet from climate change by limiting carbon pollution from power
plants.
Take
Action Today!
Sincerely,
Chrissy Elles
Outreach Specialist
Climate & Energy Program
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. To subscribe or visit go to: http://www.ucsusa.org